What Classical Music Are You Listening To Tonight?

[bart]

Originally Posted by tima

Nice to see you around, Andy!

Purportedly Schubert wrote in a diary that he saw Beethoven once in a cafe but was reluctant to introduce himself.

Close to death it is said Beethoven looked at some of Schubert's lieder and commented he thought the young composer held promise: "Truly in Schubert there is the divine spark."

In the end they did meet. As a huge admirer of the master, Schubert asked to be buried near Beethoven and his wish was granted - less than a year after Beethoven's own death.
Later, both bodies were disinterred and reburied in Vienna's central cemetery.

The Ehrengraben: Beethoven on the left, Schubert on the right with a memorial to Mozart in the center.



Though Schubert was the only Vienna native, across a short span of time, between the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven and Schubert all composed there. Pretty amazing.

Tim, thank you for sharing!

[cma29]

Originally Posted by tima

Nice to see you around, Andy!

Purportedly Schubert wrote in a diary that he saw Beethoven once in a cafe but was reluctant to introduce himself.

Close to death it is said Beethoven looked at some of Schubert's lieder and commented he thought the young composer held promise: "Truly in Schubert there is the divine spark."

In the end they did meet. As a huge admirer of the master, Schubert asked to be buried near Beethoven and his wish was granted - less than a year after Beethoven's own death.
Later, both bodies were disinterred and reburied in Vienna's central cemetery.

The Ehrengraben: Beethoven on the left, Schubert on the right with a memorial to Mozart in the center.



Though Schubert was the only Vienna native, across a short span of time, between the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven and Schubert all composed there. Pretty amazing.

Very nice. I need to visit this site next time I'm in Wien.

[cma29]

Just got back from a business trip and found this waiting for me from Presto Classical...

Bach, C P E: Hamburg Symphonies (6) for Strings, Wq. 182 (H567-662)
The English Concert, Trevor Pinnock



Lively baroque music expertly played by Pinnock and his crack period orchestra. Gramophone recommended this disc as part of its May 2014 CPE Bach cover story. They say "Pinnock and his band live dangerously in the 18th century's weirdest, most outre symphonies. Thrilling stuff." Yes, good stuff. The recording is excellent.

[AndyPandy]

Originally Posted by tima

Nice to see you around, Andy!

Thanks Tim, and thanks for the extra info

[AudioNut]

Listening to . . . Vivaldi - Concertos for the Emperor

The English Concert - Andrew Manze, Director

Beautiful music, beautifully played and beautifully recorded. I've commented on this recording here previously and now I just need to say "I really like it".

[AudioNut]

Listening to .. . . Johann Sebastian Bach - Toccata BWV 911, Partita BWV 826 and English Suite No. 2 BWV 807

Martha Argerich - Piano

Deutsche Grammophon called it right when they called this a legendary recording. . . . Argerich is a marvel and this recording of some rather difficult Bach is outstanding.

[AudioNut]

Saturday morning, the house is still asleep and I'm really enjoying my classical listening session.

Listening to . . . Rossini - String Sonatas

Academy of St. Martin in the Fields - Neville Marriner, Director

Sublime music from the 28 disc Argo/Decca set of Neville Marriner and the Academy. Each time I play a disc from this set, I am impressed by the quality of sound and, of course, by the performances.




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[AudioNut]

Listening to . . . The Tokyo String Quartet Plays Beethoven CD 2
String Quartets Nos. 3, 4 & 6

This whole 9 CD Box set is amazing and the Tokyo String Quartet played Beethoven extremely well.

[AndyPandy]

This evening is more Bach...one of favourities - Brendel playing the Italian Fantasy & the Chromatic Fantasy & Fugue. On Phillips, and a gem.

Actually is :

Bach* / Alfred Brendel ‎– Italienisches Konzert BWV 971 / Chromatische Fantasie Und Fuge BWV 903
Label: Philips ‎– 9500 353

A1 Italienisches Konzert F-Dur BWV 971 (Allegro) - Andante - Presto
A2 Choralvorspiel «Ich Ruf' Zu Dir, Herr Jesu Christ», BWV 639
Arranged By – Ferruccio Busoni
A3 Präludium (Fantasie) A-Moll BWV 922
B1 Chromatische Fantasie Und Fuge D-Moll BWV 903
B2 Choralvorspiel «Nun Komm' Der Heiden Heiland», BWV 659
Arranged By – Ferruccio Busoni
B3 Fantasie Und Fuge A-Moll BWV 904

Can be had for around $10 on discogs but then you need a good rcm to hear it at it's best. Sublime evocative expression.

[AudioNut]

Listening to . . . Leopold Stokowski - The Stereo Collection 1954-1975 - CD 11 of the 14 discs in this box set.

Some marvelous Bach and Handel transcriptions on this disc. Stokowski could take a partita for solo violin and turn it into a gorgeous piece of music for full orchestra - which is what he did on the selections included on this disc.

Stokowski was well known for his Bach transcriptions and, love them (I do) or hate them (as I'm sure some here do) The resulting music was enjoyable and mostly beautiful.

I have been extremely well pleased with this box set. Wonderful performances - excellent sound.